In The Heights
by ShimmeringDaisyFace
Summary: Leo works in a bodega, in a community called Half-Blood Heights. The family he once had is breaking apart, and profits from his store are declining. Reyna needs to get out of here. Her alcoholic sister can't stop her. Percy and Annabeth are in bad situations, one losing his job and the other her education. Based off the Broadway show In The Heights. AU/ No Songs
1. In The Heights

**Just something I wanted to try.**

"Scram, punk! Graffiti somewhere else!" I scold, causing the kid to run off.

Turning on the lights to my bodega, the neon lights shine bright on Half-Blood Heights.

I'm still tired last's nights closing, a record time of 1:30 AM. It's five now, and I stretch my arms, and ignore the drowsiness.

Every morning -_every single morning_- this same kid, Graffiti Luke attempts to ruin my shop sign and every morning I bust him. I'm thinking of calling the police.

Slowly, the community wakes up and I start my famous coffee. I wave hello to everyone; some people look annoyed while others smile back.

Jason (the guy who sells _piragua_ every single morning) calls out, "Ice cold _piragua!_ _Parcha_, _China_, Cherry, Strawberry, and just for today, I got _mamay!_" Jason's one of my closest friends, but extra work combined with his sudden dating of the head of the beauty salon, Piper, has caused us to drift.

"Yo, Sparky. How are ya?" I yell over to Jason, whose handing out piragua to the kids.

"Same as always, Leo." Jason's face falls and I leave him alone.

I never introduced myself, did I? My name's Leo and you've probably never heard of me. Reports of my fame are probably tall tales by now. The fact that my roots are so weird help, most likely.

Me and my parents emigrated from this special little island off the coast of Mexico. I love it, and compared to Half-Blood Heights, I'm jealous of it, too.

Unfortunately, since my mom and dad died, I haven't been able to return to my favorite little island. I gotta get back to that.

Looking for milk to add to my coffee, I enter the fridge and sniff the milk carton. Hey, it's the most effective way to check if it's spoiled.

I jump back, gagging.

Definitely spoiled.

I look to the rest of the items in the refridgerator, and everything seems rotten. How am I supposed to have people buy my drinks if it isn't good (and if it's going to make you barf?)?

Abuelo Chiron calls me over. He's always like a father to me, and I'm eternally grateful to him.

"Abuelo, the fridge broke. There's coffee, but no milk. What should I do?" I whine. I probably look pathetic.

"Condensed milk works perfectly." Abuelo Chiron's eyes glinted with wisdom.

"Nice. Thanks, Chiron."

"Patience and faith, Leo." Chiron responds, muttering his mantra.

Abuelo Chiron isn't even my abuelo, but he basically raised me, seeing I'm an orphan. He runs a school on the corner and everyone loves. He's the only reason I'm staying here.

...

At this point, you're probably thinking I'm screwed. I haven't even been higher than ninety-sixth street!

To get here, you have to take the A-Train to even farther than Harlem to northern Manhattan and stay there. Later, get off at 181st and take the escalator. Then, you're home.

The Half-Blood Heights community is filled with fights, limitless debts, high rents, and many, many bills to pay. I don't know how I've survived this long.

I serve coffee, hoping I'll brighten the day of others. It'll keep them awake for hours at a time. Night time is extremely far away here.

...

The Chases stroll up to my bodega. They manage the local cab company, but as people are moving out of Half-Blood Heights their business is struggling. Plus, the fact that their daughter Annabeth is off at Stanford and tuition is freakishly high doesn't help.

"Good morning, Leo." Fredric Chase says, eyes tired but bright.

Handing him the styrofoam cup I respond, "Be careful, coffee's hot." I give him a small smile.

"Put twenty on today's lottery, okay?" Fredric murmurs. The lottery is very popular here, even one thousand dollars can change anyone's lives here.

"One ticket, that's it!" Athena Chase snaps, always the logical one.

"Hey, you never know..." Fredric speaks nonchalantly, ignoring his wife's edge.

Athena looks at me, grey eyes joyous. "We're both excited. Annabeth arrived in JFK in the early hours of this morning!" That's surprising; Fredric isn't one to show emotion that often.

"Don't look at me, the oven's been on all week!" Fredric moans, rolling his eyes.

"Leo, come over! They'll be plenty to fill your stomach!" Athena and Fredric wave goodbye, in extra bounce in each of their steps.

...

"So then Alajandra walks in the room," I can hear Piper's distictive voice from yards away.

"Uh huh," Hazel responds, completely engrossed.

"She smells lipstick and cheap perfume," Piper laughs, using exaggerated hand motions. Hazel is starting to doubt Piper's story.

Piper looks like she's thinking of the right words. "It smelt like one of those trees that you hang from the rearview." She looks smug.

"Oh!" Hazel has a soft smile on again.

"She screams, 'Whose in there with you, Jadon?' Grabs a bat and kicks in the door-" Piper kicks the air. "He's kissing Anca from the drug store."

Hazel and I respond in unison -between laughs, of course-, "Don't tell me!"

Piper still has a dazzling smile on, but I hand the two of them cups of coffee.

The two have a long day ahead of them, working at the salon with a fifteen-minute break during a twelve hour day.

"Thanks Leo!" They yell to my back.

...

I take people's orders, waiting for my adoptive cousin to work his shift.

Nico bursts in the doors, slowly, like he has all the time in the world.

"Nico, you're late." I glare at him.

"Chill out, Leo. You can't succeed in this business without me." Nico responds, shrugging his shoulders. True, but I wasn't going to tell him that.

It's only me and my cousin, running a mediocre grocery store in the middle of Half-Blood Heights. It's a simple mom-and-pop-stop-and-shop-

Oh my god, it's so hot I can barely even think.

Same orders everyday, water, soda, lotto tickets.

But everyone's different. Different jobs, different dreams, different struggles.

I listen to the gossip, smirking, half-laughing and almost choking on my coffee. These stories are ridiculous. Nyssa cheating on Will with Dakota? Sure...

I may have ADHD and Dyslexia, but all the rapid mathematics force me to be able to do math unbelievable fast.

Why can't someone just get me a calculator?

1.00, 2.00, 1.50, 1.69...

But I know some people have it much worse than me, and if they keep pulling through, so will I.

Music blares from radios all across Half-Blood Heights. People dance with smiles on their faces, ignoring the fact that money is tight and they probably should be working.

I love this community.

"You don't have any skills." Someone ruffles my hair, and turn and see my other best friend, Percy. He has a crush on Annabeth, not like he'd tell anyone though.

"Percy!" I'm genuinely happy to see him.

"Let me get a-"

"Milky Way, right?" Percy orders the same thing everyday.

"Yeah! Can I also have-"

"Daily News."

"And a-"

"Post and the most important thing-" I grin, knowing what's coming.

"Boss's coffee, one cream, five sugars." We say that in unison. Percy basically hammered that into my head.

"I think I'm going to get promoted. Boss wouldn't keep me on the backburner, would he?" Percy ponders it for a moment.

"Uh, yes he can." You never know what to expect from Mr. Chase.

"I'm making moves and deals, and soon I'll be out of here. But guess what?" His green eyes flash, and I wonder what he's thinking.

"What?" I know it can't be too bad, after all I make his boss's coffee. Laxatives, anyone?

Nico comes and and sits next to Percy.

"You still don't have any skills." They stay together, and laugh at my obviously miffed expression.

"Haha, very funny. Nico! Get back to-"

"Hey, did Reyna show up yet?" Percy has a mischievous grin.

"Shut up!" Reyna's my kinda, sorta, crush. We're good friends, but I'm not exactly fantastic at interactions other than orders at the bodega.

"Don't get so upset, Leo! Just take her out, get a bite, something! Show us that you have some skills!" Percy responds, laughing.

"No, _no, NO!"_ I hear Reyna on the phone outside, extremely frustrated.

"Mr. Gray, I promise I have the security deposit. It's in a box in the bottom of my closet! No, no. This has nothing to do with the bank statement. I've just been saving to pay a down payment, and rent too! No, I won't let you down, swear." She puts down the phone and heads to my bodega.

"This is your chance! Be free, little bird and ask her _out!_" Percy says, practically shoving me out of the bodega.

"Make sure you don't freeze!" Nico whisper-yells at me from inside the bodega.

"Uh, Reyna! Hey!" I shout, trying to get her attention.

She strolls over to be. "You owe me a bottle of cold champagne."

"You're moving?" I ask, hoping my shock is mostly hidden.

"Got to do a creedit check, and then I'm on the train and out of here." She's always wanted to leave Half-Blood Heights, so I shouldn't be sad.

But I am.

"Well, your coffee's on the house." I say, smoothly.

"Okay," Reyna responds, like she's waiting for something.

"Leo, ask her out." Percy mumbles under his breath, only loud enough for me to hear.

"Yeah, right." I murmur back.

"I'll see you later, so..." She slowly walks away, a small smile on her face.

"Good job out there, Leo. Take a walk outside! Don't let life just slide by, live a little. Everyone's struggling here, but we're all letting life carry us whatever way it wants to! You're stuck to this corner like a streetlight." Leaving his money, Percy gives me a small smile and walks away.

I might be a streetlight, dying in the heat. Everything's changing around me, but I'm just stuck where I am. My parents came here with nothing, just a little love, and they earned a small bit of money from the bodega. I want to continue this in memory of them, to make them proud. One day, I know I'll be on a beach, and Nico'll be writing check made out to me.

The neighbors hang their flags up, so many different countries. China, Uganda, even Piper's unique Cherokee quilt is hanging from the door of the salon. It reminds me that all of us have one thing in common.

We all came from somewhere different, and long to go back. This isn't our first home. We will work til poverty is turned into stock options.

The neighborhood gets more expensive everyday, but we pull through.

I practically taste the shaved ice, smell the beans and rice, hear the syrups dripping and the hairdryers blowing.

This is my life.

**Should I continue? Stop? Leave it at this? Tell me!**


	2. Breathe

**Hey everyone! Thanks to: Tazmaster **Tazzy! Thanks! I thought I was being clever ;) **AGreyMood **Thank you! I'm glad you like it! :) **krikanalo **I totally am continuing :) Thanks! **sonofthetrigod **Thank you! I hope you like it! I wanted to do RENT, by my ma thought it was too controversial D: **jedikhaleesi** I hope you like this chapter, then!

**Book of the Update: Holes by Louis Sachar**

**Song of the Update: Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall by Coldplay**

**Dedication: Tazmaster, because she was the first reviewer and she's just plain awesome!**

"Annabeth, come on. Your life's not over yet. Breathe." Jason bumps the nervous blonde's shoulder and she gives him a weak smile.

"Sure. Whatever." Annabeth's wise grey eyes are uncharacteristically unfocused and that worries Jason.

"I gotta work, Annie. But you come get me if you get weird, okay?" The blue-eyed boy gives a small wave and heads back to his piragua stand. "Don't forget, you're home! Your footprints are fulfilled. Breathe." Jason yells from a few feet away.

Annabeth Chase grew up on this street. She shouldn't be anxious. This should be as familar as the back of her hand. The grey-eyed girl waves to the neighbors she's known since she was born. Austin, Katie, Castor...

Katie waves back, brown curls shaking. There was obvious pride in her eyes. Annabeth was much more than the measly florist she was.

Annabeth didn't deserve that pride anymore. She is not superior to her family.

Silena Beauregard rushes up to her, black hair flowing. "You made it, sweetie! You went places. Come visit the chocolate shop later. We need a proper reunion." Silena's navy eyes sparkle, and Annabeth can't say no. She can't tell Silena the truth either.

At Stanford, Annabeth Chase tried to pretend she wasn't from a poor community north of Harlem. She wasn't poor.

But she couldn't help seeing the designer jeans, silk blouses, and 'daddy's money' being thrown around like nothing. Annabeth owned Goodwill jeans and three flea market tees.

"Hey, everyone. I'm back." Annabeth mutters, and the Stolls wrap in her a huge embrace. They were like her brothers. "We'll see you tonight. Katie'll kill Travis if he doesn't work his shift at the Comic store." Connor winks. Travis and Katie?! Together? Annabeth brushes it off.

Annabeth wishes they weren't so happy to see her. When they find out, they'll shun her. She's the biggest disappointment they know.

It's prety obvious too, that there's something wrong. The blonde's back, and her head's not high. What happened there?

Welcome home. Just breathe.

"Come on, Annabeth. Why the long face? Your life isn't over." Hannah Wilmette shouted from her drug store across the street.

Breathe, Annabeth.

"Fill in your footprints, Chase." Benjamin Stump, the guitarist, patted on the shoulder before returning to busking.

Radios from all the bodegas play classic rock, and the acoustics soothe Annabeth. She grew up with this. This is her city, remember?

Annabeth was reminded off when the news spread that she was accepted into Stanford. Everyone thought she would be this star! Famous! Brilliant! She is far from all those adjectives.

Her parents drove her to the airport two weeks later, and at two o'clock in the morning everyone came out of their beds, giving hugs and kisses. Lanterns floated into the air as Annabeth took her last look at Half-Blood Heights.

That seems like a millennia ago.

"Hey, I'm home?" Annabeth said, seeming more like a question than a statement.

Abiah Ruess from the bakery held out chocolate chip cookies. Annabeth's favorite. "Look, Annie."

"Hey, thanks." Annabeth put on her warmest smile in Abiah's direction.

"I think you're perfect. I don't care if anything happened." Young Abel comes and hugs Annabeth's legs.

"Our star has come home!" Caitlin shouted for her brother, Balthasar to come out of the boutique and greet their 'star' otherwise known as the failure named Annabeth.

It's a lot of pressure, since Annabeth is the only one to make it out of the Heights. She was the community's pride and joy, and she didn't want to fail her family. She was always the smartest, but would it have been better for Annabeth to stay home?

On sleepless nights as a child, Annabeth would crawl up to the roof, imagining a future for herself. She always wanted to be higher.

Christmas, with the wild mane of red hair, yelled from the gas station, "Breathe, darling. You look stressed."

"You've already made us all proud, Annabeth." Alexander with the shaved blonde hair smiled at the nervy grey-eyed girl.

Annabeth Chase worked for every scholarship and money she ever had. The first in her family to go to college-

Her family would understand. Tell them!

How would she tell them?

You're back home, Chase. Calm down, she thinks to herself, looking at her shaking hands.

Grey-eyes on the horizon, Annabeth realizes she's all alone.

Except for the GWB, of course.

God, Annabeth, what will you be?

Straigtening her spine, Annabeth puts a geniune smile on her the neighbors. She uses generic answers for all the questions and makes sure everyone thinks she's completely calm.

Exhausted, Annabeth waves goodbye and looks at the sky.

How will Mom and Dad take this?

"Annabeth..." Catherine's brown eyes are worried.

She doesn't think she can go walk in the apartment and say-

"Annabeth..." Andrew the paper boy frowns.

I know that I'm letting you down.

"Annabeth, come in here for a bit. Come say hi to me." Abuelo Chiron motions for her to enter his house, and Annabeth willingly comes in. Her own father has always been distant, and she would never admit it, but Chiron was her main father figure as a child.

Just breathe.

**How'd you like?**


	3. Percy's Dispatch

**Hey everyone! I had a bad day. Don't feel well, crush isn't talking to me, and had juice spilt on my hair. But on the bright side, Tazmaster wrote a story called Vintage Love dedicated to yours truly! And... I GOT A 99% ON MY MATHS TEST MY LIFE IS HAPPY NOW! Thanks to: krikanalo: Thank you very much! Tazmaster: Thanks! You're welcome ;) sonofthetrigod: Me too:) But I know the ending ;) Thanks! Alexandra Jackson rocks Hades: Thanks! You'll find out later! Erik the Viking: Maybe, maybe not. Elmlea: Aw, shucks. Thank you! SeaBreeze Daughter of Poseidon: Uh, thanks! Enthusiatic... ;)**

**Book of the Update: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King**

**Song of the Update: Beverly Hills by Weezer**

**Dedications: SeaBreeze Daughter of Poseidon, because of her enthusiastic review! (ahem, threat, Just kidding! You're awesome!)**

Percy Jackson walks out the bodega's door, smiling sadly at Leo failing to impress Reyna.

Poor kid. He just can't leave the neighborhood, can he?

Percy finally arrives at the old radio tower, and he gets himself settled on the spinning chair, fabric starting to break.

First at the dispatch. You fail, you're fired.

Not to mention Annabeth's gonna be here. You. Are. Done. With.

Taking in a deep breath, he turns on the receiver.

"G' morning folks. It's Percy on the dispatch. _Atencion, _attention. Check 1, 2, 3." Percy smiles a bit. Didn't fail the first part. "It's Perce. I'm on the microphone this morning. Honk the horn if you're happy!"

Percy peeks his head out the window, and the cabs and 90's sedans beep in response. After whooping out the window, Percy returns to the receiver and the radar.

"So we have traffic on the west side. If you're in a tizzy, get off at seventy-ninth and take the left side. Go off Riverside Drive, you'll be fine. You'll be best friends with West End, if you can catch the light. Probably not." Percy takes a deep breath and continues.

"Oh yeah, don't take the Deegan. Daniel Albarn's in town this weekend so tra-ffic. Sorry Half-Bloods, go on Route 77, don't expect to get back in again-" The door creaks. Percy's already irritated. He's on a roll here!

"Percy, hey!" A blonde head pokes through the door, and Percy isn't annoyed anymore.

"Annie! You're home today!" Receiver forgotten, Percy wraps Annabeth in a bear hug.

Annabeth quickly wriggles out of his grip and swats him. "Don't call me that."

"Sorry!" Percy laughs.

The grey-eyed girl rolls her eyes. "Any sign-"

"Of the parents? They're on the way." Percy grins. Nothing's changed.

"Anyway-" Percy interrupts Annabeth again, knowing it'll annoy her.

"Wait a sec. You used to work the dispatch, right?" Percy says, green eyes dancing.

"Once or twice. Now-" Annabeth responds, trying to change the subject.

"How's my technique? There's a bad traffic accident at the crossroads between Tenth and Jacob Javitz Convention Center! Don't get stuck in the pile-up on 192nd, double decker flipped. Now everyone! Turn up your radios! We have a special guest-" Percy says, feeling like an expert.

"Percy..." Annabeth warns.

"Back from a year out west! Be nice, 'cause she looks mad stressed-" Percy hears Annabeth scoff from behind him and he winks at her. "Annabeth Chase, the place's best!"

"Oh, god. You even rhymed." Annabeth giggles.

"Honk your horns everyone! She's smiling! Come over, say hello!" Percy waves her over. She glares, but trudges over and snatches the receiver.

"Hello everyone! Good morning!" Annabeth says, and Percy looks amused.

"I better find my mom. Thanks for the welcome wagon, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth goes and gives him a hug before she leaves.

"Anytime, Annie." Percy teases, and Annabeth rolls her eyes. She is closing the door when, on a whim, Percy exclaims, "Wait! Come over and wait with me! I'll turn up the AC. Stay here with me."

Annabeth rolls her eyes again, but smiles. "Okay, whatever."

She pulls up an old desk chair next to Percy and listens to him try and rap the traffic reports. There's one thing she missed about Half-Blood Heights.

**How'd you like?**


	4. It Won't Be Long Now

_Guess who had oral surgery today? *raises hand meekly*** IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END **Thanks to: ERIK THE VIKING: Thanks! KORYANDRS: Thanks! I know, but I'm just followed along the lines of the music, and that's where the song 'Benny's Dispatch' ends! SONOFTHETRIGOD: Aw, thanks! I didn't get to see it live either D: IT WENT OFF TOURING IN 2008 WHY DIDN'T I LIKE BROADWAY BACK THEN?! ALEXANDRA JACKSON ROCKS HADES: Thanks! SEABREEZE DAUGHTER OF POSEIDON: Aw, that means so much to me. You are amazing, lemme tell you that. I'm getting teary, see? We are getting sappy together D: AGREYMOOD: I know, right? GUEST: Totally!_

_Enjoy:_

Reyna walks down the boarded down streets and avenues of Half-Blood Heights. She knows that she'll be walking down real streets with expensive tar and… stores with windows that aren't cracked.

The elevator train crackles loudly, but Reyna isn't fazed. She's been dealing with the rattling screams since she was a little girl, and it doesn't disrupt her dreams. The elevator train distracts her from her drunk sister waiting for her at home so she could binge the money REYNA earned at the salon to buy liquor.

Others walk fast, holding their ears like the elevator was some monster than would destroy their minds (and their hearing) if they didn't get away from it as fast as they could. But Reyna doesn't mind one bit.

Once in a while, Reyna will find a guy that seems fairly mature, and he'll take her out to some cheap Chinese restaurant, and they'll walk along the avenue. They'll act like the noise is murdering him, and beg to turn around. They'll walk the other way, but Reyna won't call him again.

Call her immature, but when she finds the guy who isn't defeated by a simple elevator train, she might give him a chance.

One day, she'll be running to that elevator train, and going away. It won't be long now.

Reyna continues to walk down the streets, ignoring the crude wolf-whistles and repulsing hollers they send out from their rusted pick-up trucks. Their 'manly' attitude doesn't stop her, however. If she wants to get a boyfriend, it won't be with some cocky guy who whistles from his Chevy because he has nothing good to say.

One day, she'll be hopping in a limousine and riding away.

The neighborhood boys begin to corner her near Leo's bodega, and before she knees them all in the groin, she slams herself against the wall and mumbles through the window; "Ay, Leo. SOS."

Their plan was put into effect; Leo strolls out of his stand, a water gun painted black sitting in his back pocket. He approaches the other guys and hold out the water gun; pretending to put it into safety.

The guys back away slowly, hands up in surrender. "Sorry, bro."

Nico glares at Leo to keep talking to her.

"Reyna! If it isn't the loveliest girl in the place." Leo says quickly, and puts on his best smile. He (hopefully) discreetly turns to Nico, who is grinning with both of his hands in thumbs up.

Reyna smiles, and then wrinkles her eyebrows. "Uh, you've got some schmutz on your face." She reaches over to wipe it off his face.

Leo blushes bright maroon, and all of the Heights could probably hear Nico burst of laughter. Leo looks to his cousin for help, who just smirks.

Nico strolls out of the bodega and yells, "Good morning!" He then looks to Leo, and he nods his head in response.

"Good morning!" They repeat in unison. Reyna rolls her eyes but smiles.

"Reyna…" Nico starts dancing (slightly weirdly, if you ask Leo, but Nico can pull it off.)

"Reyna…" Leo loosely echoes, but refuses to dance with him.

Piper from the salon next door interrupts Nico's little dancing session by screaming, "Rey! I'm thirsty! Please hurry!"

Reyna looks to Leo sheepishly and asks, "Can I get a Pepsi and some packing tape?"

Leo jogs into the bodega, and Nico decides it's time he takes this opportunity into his own hands.

"Uh, Reyna? My cousin's been meaning to ask you…" Nico begins, and Leo peeks his head through the delivery window.

"Yes?" Reyna motions for him to continue.

"What would a lady such as yourself be doing tonight?" Nico smiles, he put it perfectly. Meanwhile, Leo is ready to go and drag Nico back inside.

"Does your cousin dance?" Reyna asks, hoping he won't say he dances like Nico.

Nico smirks again. "Like a drunk Chita Rivera." Leo has had enough, he walks through the door nonchalantly, like he hadn't heard a thing.

Reyna begins to walk away slowly to the salon. "Well, we can check out a few clubs after Annabeth's dinner and maybe we can go see the fireworks. After all, it is Fourth of July, Leo. Have you forgotten?" By then, Reyna's already at the salon, and the bodega owner is flabbergasted.

"See what I can do?" Nico says, and Leo stays against the bodega door. A few minutes later, he breaks his silence.

"Oh my god, what just happened? Nico reaches a hand out to help him up, but Leo scurries away from it like its poison.

"Don't touch me, I'm really hot. See what I did there? YES!" Leo babbles, grinning uncontrollably. "What happened again? I'm going out with Reyna to-nite! This is awesome! And you'll know… Everyone will know! Don't stop-"

Nico wishes he could say that he walked back to the bodega after Leo's little love spaz attack but he kinda basked in the glory of Leo's victory. "-We'll still continue!"

"Did you see me?"

"Freaky-Freakit!" Leo and Nico shout. Nico rolled his eyes at himself, but it's for Leo so…

"What a way to begin the weekend? Nico, go in the bodega. Anything you want is free, man! And my dearly beloved Mexico, I haven't forgotten-"

"You!" Nico continues.

"Gonna see this honey, make a little money, and one day I'll hop Jet-"

"Blue!"

"But until that fateful day I'm grateful I've got a destination. I'm running to make a home and home's what Reyna's running away from."

The two head back into the store and Reyna walks along the streets, smiling.

She works for the salon, the hub for all the ladies to gossip and get the best makeover east of the Bronx. Reyna will cut their hair, as they'll chat about the brand new and broken couples of the Heights. Piper's salon doesn't pay her the money that she really needs, but she doesn't mind. She'll be leaving soon anyway.

Walking down the streets and avenues, she hears the jumbo jets soaring through the sky, and she knows that she'll be on one of those soon.

All the years she's been trying, and soon it'll be time to collect the reward. Reyna will walk to JFK and… fly.

It won't be long now.

Any day.

_**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: MY STORY PLAYLIST IS GOING TO HAVE A SEQUEL WITH OCS. THE FORM IS ON MY PROFILE UNDER ALL THE CRAP ABOUT THE DAUGHTERS OF OLYMPUS AND BRIDES, ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH PM SO MY STORIES DONT GET REPORTED. ALL WILL BE ACCEPTED. FIRST COME FIRST SERVE :)**_

_**THANKS, DAISY XOXO**_


	5. Not My Say

_I'm back! Tired, but back. Thanks to: SEABREEZE DAUGHTER OF POSEIDON: Thank you! I take Latin, and man, I don't know how Jason does it. Good luck with French! ELMLEA: Thank you thank you thank you! THEQUEENOFBOOKS1000: Thank you so much! I love this musical too! I'm sorry about the role you got, but you still got to play a role in it so that's awesome! It Won't Be Long Now is also one of my favs, and my friends get really annoyed when I repeatedly rap Usnavi's part :D Yeah, I had to adjust each of their parts though, like with Daniela/ Piper, but it's fun! Ah, the Reyna/ Vanessa problem. That was hard since Vanessa can be a biyatch and Reyna's all stone cold, but it works. I'm just nervous about what to do in 'The Club', as you know Vanessa's… Vanessa. Thanks again, you are awesomely epic! SONOFTHETRIGOD: I know right? Thank you bunches! ERIK THE VIKING: Thank you!_

Percy's shift was finally over, and Annabeth is still down in the dumps. She doesn't know what to do with herself, and her parents will probably kick her out.

Yeah, they'll kick her out.

Annabeth walks down the sidewalk, not knowing or caring where she's going. She lets her feet decide where she's going.

The dirt kicks up under her feet, the grains scatter everywhere. The ground is covered in mist, and the world is officially grey.

It's gonna be grey for a while.

After a few minutes, she looks up to find an old salon door and a slightly cracked window.

No this, this was home.

Annabeth walks through the doors, letting the bell ring behind her.

Piper, Reyna, and Hazel are gathered around a table, passing around a can of Pepsi and chattering. The tinkle of the bell must have gotten to them, as their heads snap in Annabeth's direction.

"Annie Chase! How long have you been home?" Piper exclaims, and wraps Annabeth in a rib cracking hug. Piper is soon joined by Reyna and Hazel, who both add to the suffocation.

"I missed you too." Annabeth says, muffled by shirt fabric.

The girls pull away to get a good look at their old friend.

"You look gorgeous!" Piper's kaleidoscope eyes are wide, taking in everything about her.

"Beautiful!" Hazel agrees happily.

Reyna smiles and says, "Tell her something she _doesn't _know."

"Oh shut up, Rey. How've you guys been?" Annabeth is overjoyed to be back at the salon, and rushes to the old pink salon chair that was always hers.

"You know, I've felt like I've been getting too old." Piper sighs, and looks to Annabeth for a response.

"Pipes, you're twenty."

"So? Mental age."

"She's dating Jason," Hazel whispers to her, and Annabeth raises her eyebrows.

Piper blushes deep maroon, and begins to change the subject. "So, Hazel, tell Chase how _you're _doing?"

Hazel shrugs her shoulders in response. "You know, same thing. Trying to get a scholarship to NYU. Nothing new?"

"What about Frank?" Piper nudges the African American girl, who blushes even deeper than Piper did before.

"We're not dating!" She protests, and Piper smirks.

"I never said you were."

"Okay, okay. Enough with the romance talk. Life is not just about boys." Reyna fiddles with hair supplies as the other continue to gossip.

Piper stands behind Annabeth in the salon chair, and fluffs up her blonde curls. "When was the last time you got your hair cut?"

"Uh-" Annabeth starts, but Piper interrupts her again.

"We could take a little off the top." She proposes.

"A little off the side, too!" Hazel chimes in from the corner, refilling bottles of curl definer and hairspray.

Annabeth brushes her hair back subconsciously and quickly changes the subject. "So…What's been happening around the barrio?"

"Girl, I work at a salon with these two and my sisters. Gossip is my specialty."

Reyna and Hazel turn around quickly from the stations at the sink and the cupboards, eyes wide.

Annabeth motions for Piper to continue and she begins with a small smile on her face.

"Good. You didn't hear it from me, but a little bird told me Leo went out with Calypso. For a while." Piper turns to look at Reyna, who's expression is unreadable as usual, but her eyes are slightly wide.

Annabeth snorts. "Not my say."

"Huh, never thought he'd go for that type. Really?" Reyna responds, lip curls in something that looked like disgust.

"Nah, I just wanted to see what you'd say." Piper says, and Hazel and Annabeth collapse in laughter.

After a few minutes of hysterics, Annabeth catches her breath and looks to Reyna. "So, Leo? That's a surprise. I thought you'd go for someone like Jason."

Reyna and Piper lock eyes, and the salon owner quickly changes subjects. "So, Annie. Heard you went to see Percy before coming to see us. Does that happen often?"

Annabeth's eyebrows tilt in confusion until she realizes what Piper was implying. "Oh my god, guys. He's one of my best friends."

"Okay. Not my say. But I don't have to have Rachel and her crystal ball to see what happening between you two. Anyways, Annabeth. I've been meaning to tell you how proud we are of you. We always knew that you'd be the one to rip out of the Heights!" Piper exclaims.

Reyna comes back over and sits next to Annabeth. "I bet you impressed all those Californians with your intelligence. You always seemed to have the most potential out of our generation."

Hazel smiles at her, gold eyes shining. "You better get us the tickets to your graduation. We'll show them how we celebrate here."

Piper chimes in. "I can see you walking down in a red gown, and they'll boom your name as Summa Cum Laude, and-"

All three of the salon girls speak in unison, "We'll scream and shout as loud as we can! We'll-"

Annabeth was about to burst. She couldn't handle all the pride they were sending her that she didn't deserve. She can't keep this secret from them, could she?

"Guys… I dropped out." Annabeth looks down at the old hardwood floor and listens to the silence that echoes through the once joyous salon.

"Uh, what?" Reyna asks, out of her flabbergasted gaze.

"I gotta go." Annabeth picks herself up out of the pink chair and rushes out of the salon as fast as she could.

Piper and Hazel stand there for a minute, utterly shocked.

"Well, that's a cruddy piece of news. We just made it worse, didn't we?" Piper says, grimacing.

"But she never quit anything." Hazel mutters.

"What happened?" Reyna murmurs, and looks out the window to see if Annabeth was still in sight.

"God, I don't know." Piper goes to the pink salon chair and practically collapses. "It's just not my say. I don't know. What do we know?"

_How'd you like?_


	6. I'm So Sorry

_Okay guys, I hate to say this, but I'm putting In The Heights on hiatus._

_I have craptons of inspiration for this, but I'm not really sure if I ship Leyna anymore._

_I mean, I still think that they would be cute, but I have fallen hard for Caleo._

_I'm thinking of re-writing it, but instead of Reyna as Vanessa, I'll adjust the personality a bit, and Calypso will be Vanessa._

_UGH I FEEL SO GUILTY I'M SORRY,_

_~Daisy_


End file.
